Where the Earth Touches the Sky
by Jade Leaf Forest
Summary: A collection of submissions for DigiOTPWeek on Tumblr featuring Sorato/ YamaSora. Each chapter contains a separate story based on the day's prompt. Detailed summaries inside.
1. There's Always a First Time

**Welcome to my submissions for DigiOTPWeek on Tumblr, celebrating Sorato/ YamaSora. Each new chapter will be a completely separate story following the new day's prompt. Because the ratings change a little between each day, I'll put any warnings at the beginning of each new chapter as well as a summary. To avoid disappointment please understand I'm not comfortable writing smut (sorry!) and most of the stories are pretty gen.  
**

 **August 10th: Day of Firsts.  
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 **Summary:** A band cancels at the last minute and the Teen-Age Wolves are asked to step in, but Yamato isn't sure whether they're ready. **  
**

 **Pairing:** **Pre-Sorato/Gen**

 **Rating: K**

 **Words: 850 _approx._**

* * *

 **There's Always a First Time**

Yamato took a deep breath and slowly let it out. His fingers idly plucked at his bass strings without making any real sound. The person on stage finished announcing the arrival of The Teen-Age Wolves, which was followed by a couple of whoops and cheers. Yamato could distinctly pick out Taichi's voice.

The Teen-Age Wolves were a new band that Yamato had managed to cobble together with a somewhat acquaintance named Akira. The four of them had played at a friend's party once, but it was nothing like this. They were here to cover for another band that had pulled out at the last minute and Yamato was seriously beginning to wonder why he had agreed to do this.

 _"What's the worst that could happen?"_

* * *

Yamato looked up at Sora with a look of horror. "Are you seriously asking me that?"

Sora rolled her eyes. "…if we're looking at the big picture."

"How big are we talking, because I'm aware that the fate of the World doesn't rest on me not making a fool of myself, but that wouldn't stop me from feeling humiliated."

Sora slowly took a sip from her drink and Yamato slouched back in his chair with a huff. The café was situated between their apartments and was quickly becoming their regular meeting place. Other couples and groups sat together, while there was a steady flow of customers in and out of the building. Yamato found it relaxing for the most part.

"They said they needed a band, right? And you guys want some publicity."

"Yeah, but…"

Yamato paused, trying to put into words what he was feeling. The band wasn't ready. They had only practiced together a few times and the only original song they could play was the one Yamato had adapted from his harmonica music. They could play covers, but that just seemed cheap.

"I lost my first tennis match 6-0 6-1. I was pretty terrible, but I learnt so much because I participated. I can't imagine many people besides me remember that match, and if they did it can only serve to show how far I've come."

"Music isn't like sport," Yamato countered.

"Maybe, but I doubt many popular bands released their first song and instantly were playing their own gigs." Yamato went to open his mouth, but Sora continued before he could say anything. "Of course I'm not including manufactured bands. Stop being so disagreeable."

"I'm not being disagreeable," Yamato said with a pout, taking a sip of his drink.

He looked up to Sora's raised eyebrows and shot her a glare when he realised the set-up.

"That was mean."

She sighed. "You're the one being stubborn about it. Why does it bother you so much? I thought you wanted to start a band."

"I do, it's just," Yamato trailed off, not knowing how to put the feeling into words. " _Walk on the Edge_ is a tune with so many memories attached to it: my parents' divorce, being alone, living in the Digital World, Gabumon. I offered the song up because we didn't have anything original to play and I wasn't going to come up with something new in a week that was decent, but I'm not sure I'm ready to perform it in front of an audience."

"If not now, then when?"

Yamato looked up at Sora, wondering where she was going with this.

"Maybe the majority of the audience won't like it, but there will be others that enjoy the song. Your bandmates must like the song enough to be willing to play it."

Yamato took another sip from his drink and tried to act casual even when he could feel his hands shaking.

"Any chance you're free that night?"

He glanced at Sora just in time to see her soft smile. "I wouldn't miss it."

* * *

Another deep breath. He'd faced down monsters and his own demons. Yamato stared at the stage intently, psyching himself up to walk out there. A slap on the back from Yutaka made Yamato turn around to face his bandmates. All of them were just as nervous as he was, but they were also smiling.

Yamato tightened the strap on his bass and channelled Taichi all those times he would give some inspiring speech as they were about to walk into possible death. A grin spread across his face.

"Let's show them what we can do."

The four walked out with a level of confidence they hadn't been feeling a minute ago with Yamato leading the pack. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his friends ready to support him no matter how this went. His eyes finally rested on Sora and he allowed himself a small genuine smile.

 _I wish Gabumon was here_. It was a fleeting thought, but rather than make him sad or nervous, Yamato felt determination to make this performance good. He could play the song for Gabumon when they next saw each other.

Yamato grabbed the mike. "Hi my name's Yamato Ishida and we're the Teen-Age Wolves. Our first song is called _Walk on the Edge_."

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 **Thank you for reading. Please review!**


	2. Cake and Kyaromon

**August 11th:** **In the Digital World or with Digimon Partners**

 **Summary:** Sora invites Yamato and Gabumon to a newly opened café. There they meet an intriguing young woman and her even more intriguing friend.

 **Pairing: Sorato (AN: at least they're in a relationship this time... I'm improving with the whole shipping thing)**

 **Rating: K**

 **Words: 2500+**

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 **Cake and Kyaromon**

"Yamato, where are we going?"

Yamato stopped to read the message that Sora had only sent hours before. It was brief and if he was being honest with himself, Yamato would admit the message worried him. Sora had given him the address to (what a little online research had revealed to be) a small café. She'd also asked him to bring Gabumon, although he wasn't quite sure why.

The digimon had been visiting them for the past couple of days and were planning to stay for the weekend as well. Yamato always dreaded Gabumon's departure, mainly because the house felt so much quieter when he was gone, especially since his father was currently away on business.

"Yamato."

Yamato looked down at his best friend, startled from his thoughts. "Sorry?"

"Everyone's staring at us."

Yamato discretely glanced each way, noting the amount of attention they were receiving. While several children looked on in wonder, the older generations' faces carried a mixture of shock and horror. Grimacing, Yamato put his phone away (he'd memorised the address anyway) and picked Gabumon up into his arms. As he walked away, the stares followed, but eventually people continued with their own lives.

"Yamato," Gabumon whispered, "what's wrong?"

"Sorry, I should have realised walking around like that was going to cause trouble."

"They're afraid of me, aren't they?"

Yamato hated that anyone was scared of Gabumon. He knew his friend would never hurt anyone unless Yamato ordered it, and even then he would sometimes question Yamato's judgement. People were still so ignorant when it came to digimon, but deep down he knew it wasn't really their fault. If he only knew digimon from the news then he'd probably be afraid as well.

"People always fear what they don't understand. It's safer for them to act that way."

Gabumon hugged Yamato tighter around the neck. "I wish I could see you more."

"Me too," Yamato agreed and left it at that.

The café was a small, brightly lit place, its name spelt out in cutesy letters across the building. However, the sign on the door read 'closed.' Yamato adjusted his grip on Gabumon to check the address again and frowned when he confirmed it was correct. Gabumon looked up at the sign.

"Do you think they sell ice-cream?"

Yamato laughed and put his phone away. "Possibly, but it looks like we won't be able to find out today."

"Maybe Sora meant for us to meet outside."

"Maybe," Yamato agreed, looking around the area for any sign of his girlfriend or her partner.

A pleasant chime made Yamato jump and he spun around to see a young woman standing in the entrance to the café. Her light hair was pulled together into a soft bun and strands that were too short to be tied back framed her face. Grey eyes looked directly at Gabumon.

Yamato took a step back, not quite knowing what to expect. The woman continued to smile at his partner, who attempted to remain completely still. Finally, she focused her attention onto him.

"You must be Yamato Ishida. Sora told me you were coming."

Yamato nodded, not quite knowing what to say in response.

"I'm Yuki Mizuhara. Come on in."

With a brief glance at Gabumon, who shrugged in response, Yamato slowly followed Ms Mizuhara into her shop. It was nicely decorated from what Yamato could tell. The cream walls and well placed mirrors made the café look much bigger than it was and the soft pink accent wall at the back added a bit of extra colour. The chairs and tables were a rich dark wood with the same colour pink upholstery.

Suddenly a small fluff-ball with long, feather-like ears and a strange tail jumped up onto the counter.

"Welcome!"

Both Yamato and Gabumon stared at the digimon that was happily sitting on the counter, its tail flicking strangely. Out of the corner of his eye, Yamato saw Ms Mizuhara watch his reaction with some amusement.

"Kyaromon!"

Yamato looked at Gabumon and set him down, realising the owner must already know about digimon. The Kyaromon lightly jumped down, practically skipping up to Gabumon.

"I didn't think I'd see a Gabumon here!"

Yamato made his way over to Ms Mizuhara, keeping an eye on the two digimon.

"When did you two meet?"

Ms Mizuhara smiled. "Oh, about a year ago. Kyaromon has been a ray of sunshine in my life ever since."

"Do you work here by yourself?"

"I don't get that much business here, so I tend to take care of things by myself for now. It means I know all my customers and they appreciate that."

Yamato silently nodded, an idea slowly forming. However, his thoughts were cut off when the entrance bell chimed again.

Sora stepped through the door looking out of breath, carrying Piyomon in one arm and her tennis gear in another. Her face was pink with exertion.

"Piyomon!"

"Kyaromon!"

The two digimon ran to each other and Piyomon lifted the smaller digimon into her arm-like wings. They both laughed as Piyomon twirled Kyaromon around. Soon the three digimon began chatting, talking about their partners and comparing experiences in the Human World.

Sora rushed over, bowing in apology. "I'm so sorry I'm late, Ms Mizuhara! I hope I didn't cause you too much trouble."

"Not at all," she chuckled. "Yamato was easily recognisable with Gabumon. I just hope I didn't leave you out there too long."

"It was no problem," Yamato reassured her and Sora lightly grabbed his sleeve, smiling at him when he turned his attention to her.

"Why don't you two sit down and I'll bring us something to eat."

"Oh, you don't have to go that far," Sora protested.

Ms Mizuhara laughed. "Nonsense, besides I need someone to give me an honest opinion on my cooking."

Soon, all six sat around the table, with Kyaromon in Ms Mizuhara's lap. Yamato took a bite of one of the cakes. It was surprisingly light and not too sweet.

"This is really good, right Yamato?" Gabumon asked him enthusiastically, already helping himself to another slice with Ms Mizuhara's encouragement.

"It's very nice. Did you make these yourself?"

Ms Mizuhara placed a small piece of cake in her partner's mouth, who ate it enthusiastically. "Yes, I make them in the morning before I open. I'm glad you like them."

"Trust me, it's a big compliment coming from him," Sora said, biting into one of the cakes. "Yamato's maternal grandparents live in France, so he's very picky when it comes to cakes and pastries."

Yamato felt his face heat up. "I'm not that bad."

However, Sora just grinned back. Ms Mizuhara laughed at their antics.

"A French critique enjoys my baking? I don't think I can get higher praise than that."

Yamato sighed and the two women giggled. Soon the digimon were joining in the laughter as well.

"How did both of you meet?" Yamato asked in an attempt to steer the conversation away from him.

"Oh, I saw Sora when she walked past my shop." She regarded Sora with a bemused expression. "I'm afraid I was a little rude towards you."

"Not at all," Sora reassured her. She turned towards Yamato. "Ms Mizuhara saw me with Piyomon and wanted to talk."

"Of course, I chased her half way down the street before I caught up!" She said, facing Piyomon. "Then I found out that I was finally meeting the digimon that saved my life."

Yamato's jaw fell slack. "You were on the plane."

Ms Mizuhara nodded. "We began falling so fast. Everyone was convinced we would die. Then a great bird-human hybrid flew towards us. I never thought I'd ever meet you."

If Piyomon's feathers were not in the way, Yamato was convinced he would be able to see her blush. Sometimes it was easy to forget how many people they had saved, especially when they had failed others.

"You must have been quite young."

Yamato looked up and realised she was addressing him and Sora. He glanced away to the wood flooring that was the same colour as the furniture. It was easy to brush away how young they had been as trivial. After all, it wasn't like anyone else was going to save the world in their place. However, sometimes the nightmares still haunted them. He felt something brush against his leg and met Sora's eyes. He attempted a reassuring smile, but it didn't feel very convincing.

"There are even younger children getting digimon partners now," Sora said, deflecting the topic easily.

"It could become dangerous if they are left alone."

Ms Mizuhara nodded, understanding. "I suppose it's not so bad if the digimon is Kyaromon's level, but they can become quite big, can't they?"

"Right." Gabumon agreed. "We get much stronger each time we evolve."

"Furthermore," Sora continued, "if a digimon is raised incorrectly, they could evolve in a detrimental way."

There was a long pause and Ms Mizuhara glanced between the two. "So your job as Chosen Children is to prevent something like that from happening."

Yamato sat back in his chair with his arms crossed. "Unfortunately, we have no way of tracking down new Chosen."

"Digimon are very loyal," Piyomon chimed in. "If a digimon believed their partner was in danger, they might react badly."

"It sounds like those with digimon need a space they can feel safe. I suppose I can offer that. After all, I have only recently opened my café, so I'm still quite low on customers."

"When did you open?" Yamato asked, suddenly curious.

"Nearly a month ago. Before I met Kyaromon, I was working as a secretary in a large company. My parents wanted me to be successful financially, but I wasn't happy." She hugged her partner close. "Kyaromon gave me the courage to open this café. I had saved enough money, but my parents were furious when they found out what I was doing. I want to be able to show them I can be financially well off and happy at the same time." She looked up, startled. "I'm sorry! You must think I sound so naive."

"Not at all! You need to be happy otherwise what's the point?"

Yamato watched Sora smile at Piyomon's enthusiasm. She then turned her attention back to Ms Mizuhara, her expression serious.

"We would need to check with some of the others, but would you be happy for us to advertise your café as a safe place for digimon?"

"Of course," Ms Mizuhara agreed. "Since Yamato's here, I'm assuming you're referring to Taichi Yagami."

Yamato had assumed that she had recognised him as Sora's boyfriend because of Gabumon, but if she knew about Taichi…

"Sora didn't tell you my name."

"No she didn't," Ms Mizuhara agreed, while Sora glanced between the two in bewilderment. "I recognised you from the picture that circulated the web. Of course, you and Sora were holding hands. It didn't take much for me to realise when Sora was referring to her boyfriend that she meant you. Finding you standing outside my café today only confirmed my suspicions."

"How did you recognise me?"

"I have a somewhat photographic memory when it comes to people. You look older than you did in the photo, and you might have cut your hair, but it's still easy to recognise you."

Yamato had feared, even after Gennai had taken those pictures down from the Internet, that some people would recognise him. Daisuke may have laughed at Taichi's photo, but people were much less likely to recognise a toddler who was now a high school student, compared to a middle schooler photographed with his still current girlfriend. He never admitted it to Taichi or Sora, but it had been part of the reason he had cut his hair again. He was a little paranoid that someone malicious would be able to identify him and Sora on the street.

He felt a hand on his arm and looked up at Sora's concerned face.

"Sorry, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Yamato shook his head. "I figured I'd be recognised eventually. I'm just glad it was you and not someone wanting to take Gabumon away."

"It will be helpful for us if you can recognise most of the Chosen Children that come through your doors. We can then make sure to have someone experienced with you to offer advice."

"I can charge reduced rates for any Chosen Children if that would help."

"I don't think that will be necessary," Yamato interjected. "After all, you still have a business to run."

Ms Mizuhara stood up and Kyaromon jumped onto the table, moving towards the pile of left over cakes.

"I'm so glad to have met both of you. I'll give you my email so we can be in touch, Sora."

"Thank you very much for talking to us, Ms Mizuhara."

The six said their goodbyes, but not without Ms Mizuhara forcing them to take home a dozen or so cakes with the excuse that they were going to go stale anyway. Gabumon and Piyomon were a little too happy about that.

The carriage was empty, save for the four of them, on their way back to Odaiba. Sora leaned against Yamato's shoulder, her eyes fluttering closed.

"Sleepy?"

"Very."

"You'll deserve the rest if we can turn Ms Mizuhara's café into a place where digimon and their partners can meet safely."

"Do you really think it's a good idea?"

Yamato wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, so that she was able to lean against him more comfortably.

"We can no longer keep up with the new numbers of Chosen, so anything that might encourage them to come forward on their own can only be a good thing."

Sora sleepily grabbed Yamato's hand that was on her waist and squeezed his fingers lightly. "Thank you for coming with me."

Yamato felt Sora's breath even out as she drifted to sleep. Piyomon and Gabumon both curled up in their seats, soon asleep from the day's events. He stretched back with a yawn, trying not to move on one side lest he disturb Sora's nap. Despite his own fatigue, he was determined to stay awake, at least until they finally arrived home. He thought back to the silent apartment and was glad that Gabumon would be with him tonight.

Yamato didn't think Sora would appreciate him trying to carry her to her apartment, so he gently woke her as they approached their stop. At this time of night, no one seemed to care that Piyomon and Gabumon were moving on their own, so he wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her close. Sora snuggled further into his jacket and let her eyes fall shut, relying on him not to steer her into any obstacles. Behind them, Piyomon and Gabumon discussed the day's events, catching up on everything they had done in between leaving school and arriving at Ms Mizuhara's café.

Mrs Takenouchi's greeting was warm and full of concern when she saw her daughter's condition. Sora let out a yawn and assured her mother she was only tired. As Sora stepped inside with Piyomon, Yamato politely waved goodbye. However, Mrs Takenouchi stopped him

"Yamato, you're father's currently away isn't he? What are you having for dinner?"

In truth, Yamato had no idea what he and Gabumon were going to eat. As usual, when his father went on a business trip, Yamato tended to use whatever was available and go shopping when supplies ran out. He made up some excuse about having made something earlier in the week that he was planning to heat up. Yamato tried not to flinch at Mrs Takenouchi's disbelieving stare. Sora watched on, clearly bemused.

"You should have dinner with us. I've made enough for all five of us."

Yamato politely refused, but was somewhat glad when Mrs Takenouchi insisted he and Gabumon stay. He offered to help set the table and made quick work of it along with Sora.

The meal was warm and filling and the conversations were far better than sitting at home and watching TV. He and Sora exchanged glances across the dinner table and when Mrs Takenouchi insisted he stayed the night rather than go home alone, Yamato couldn't bring himself to refuse.

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 **Thank you for reading. I only did a quick once-over to check for any obvious mistakes to make the deadline, so apologies it's a little rough in places. I would very much appreciate any feedback, so please leave a review.**


	3. Something to Celebrate

**August 12th: Celebrations**

 **Summary:** After the fight with BelialVamdemon, Mrs Ichijouji invites the Chosen Children to a party.

 **Rating:** K

 **Words:** 700 _approx._

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 **Something to Celebrate**

"Cheers!"

Everyone raised their glasses and brought them to their lips. Yamato leaned back on one of the walls and looked around the room, wondering how so many people had managed to cram themselves into the apartment. Mrs Ichijouji was resting her arms on the counter and smiling as she watched the proceedings, bringing out more food from a seemingly endless supply when she deemed they were running low.

Taichi, Hikari, Ken and their digimon were laughing at something Daisuke was animatedly describing with the help of Vmon, while Jou, Koushiro and Tentomon looked on sceptically. Gomamon seemed amused at least. Takeru and Miyako were talking with Mimi while doing their best to keep Iori's spirits up. The youngest of their group would sometimes wander away and stare out the window with Armadimon standing by his side. Losing someone, no matter what they had done of how much of a stranger they were, was hard.

Takeru had told Yamato what had happened in the dream world with BelialVamdemon. It was just like that monster to use others and then throw them away at the slightest provocation. The grip on his glass tightened as memories of Pumpmon and Gotsumon resurfaced. He took a long gulp, hoping the action would distract him a little. Once again, the price of victory had cost others' lives.

A light touch on his shoulder drew Yamato's attention down to his girlfriend. It still felt bizarre referring to Sora as someone so intimate, but he loved every moment with her. Giving her a tight smile as some sort of reassurance, he transferred his glass into the hand furthest from her and clasped her free hand in his own. Sora smiled back and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"You're looking awfully melancholy for someone who's supposed to be celebrating."

Yamato looked around the room, his eyes finding Iori again as Takeru pulled him back towards the conversation.

"We couldn't protect them."

"You knew it was only a matter of time before they had to fight real digimon. We should be glad that we didn't have to lose any of our friends this time."

"Somehow it doesn't feel like a blessing."

"No, it doesn't," Sora agreed.

Yamato's attention was drawn back to Sora when she unlinked their hands and wrapped her arm around his waist. She looked up at him with a sad smile and Yamato felt his stomach flip-flop. Sora was beautiful in so many ways, conventional and not so. He moved to that his forehead rested against hers, the background noise a quiet hum in the distance. She really knew how to bring him back.

"If there's one thing I'll draw the line at, it's my childhood friends making out in front of me."

The two pulled away from each other in embarrassment and Yamato shot Taichi a glare. As if _that's_ what he was thinking of doing in someone else's house. Out of the corner of his eye, Yamato watched as Sora slowly turned scarlet. Taichi's words had obviously had their desired effect.

"Geeze, boys have no sense of romanticism," complained Miyako, who had stepped forward with her arms crossed in obvious annoyance.

"You shouldn't make them feel embarrassed," Hikari reprimanded her brother softly.

The discussion continued when Daisuke foolishly came to Taichi's defence and found himself being ganged up on by Hikari and Miyako. Yamato caught Sora's eye. She rolled her eyes and then rested her head on his shoulder again.

"Thanks for being my boyfriend," she whispered.

Yamato let out a light snort. "You're the one that had the courage to ask. If it had been left to me you probably would have given up and moved on to someone else."

"You wouldn't have asked me if I was still single at thirty?"

"I might have gotten the hint at sixty five."

Sora laughed quietly into his shoulder and hugged his free arm.

"Good thing Taichi was there."

"Taichi?"

Yamato looked over to his friend, who was facing off against his sister with his arms up in surrender. Guess he owed Taichi a favour since he'd come along at the right moment. They had all grown up a lot. Yamato met Taichi's eyes across the room and nodded in thanks. Taichi merely grinned back . He and Sora were definitely going to be teased for a while still. However, Yamato found himself smiling at the thought. He supposed it was a small price to pay.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Please review!**

 **Unfortunately, I've decided to scrap the story I wrote for the next prompt and write something new (the rough draft is mostly finished, but I'm not sure how happy I am with it), so might be a little late to post the next chapter.**


	4. Tennis Trials

**August 14th: Overcoming Challenges & Obstacles **

**Sigh. Yes, I know this isn't the next prompt. I've decided to leave the AU prompt until the end (or possibly post it separately depending on how it turns out). I've thrown away two nearly-complete 4000 word one-shots because I wasn't satisfied with either and I'm slowly writing a new idea that I'm (presently) happy with, so eventually something will be posted. Apologies to anyone who was looking forward it.**

 **I wasn't all that satisfied with this story either, but considering I also haven't finished the next prompt, I couldn't afford to re-write it as well. Consequently, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this chapter.**

 **Summary:** Whatever first impression Sora wanted to make on the high school girls' tennis captain, this was not what she had in mind.

 **Rating: K+**

 **Words: 2000+**

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 **Tennis Trials  
**

Sora's first practice with the high school girls' tennis team wasn't going well. She was already late due to a scare in the Digital World (Daisuke and the others had gone and told the high schoolers not to worry), which was not the kind of first impression Sora was interested in making. Tightening the laces to her shoes, Sora quickly tied a double knot and rushed outside with her bag thrown haphazardly over her shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late," she apologised while still trying to regain her breath.

The captain looked over at her with a smile. "Just don't let it happen again. It's Takenouchi, correct?"

Sora cringed a little, hoping _this_ wasn't going to be her lasting impression on the captain. She walked over to one of her classmates from middle school, whose expressions appeared to be strained.

"Takenouchi, Hyuuga, you two are up!"

The girls looked at each other and Sora decided to walk to the opposite end so she could use the time to finish the stretches she had started when getting ready. At least being late meant she had warmed up a little trying to get here on time.

Sora looked down at her rackets and finally decided on her older one. She had bought a new racket for the upcoming season, but figured it was better to start with something familiar. After all, the upperclassmen were looking for new talent.

"Takenouchi serves."

It was just a practice game. One set or a twenty-minute match, whichever limit was reached first. Sora tossed the ball up and, knowing it was a good throw, brought her racket forward with a crash.

"Wow, look at her legs!"

"Too bad her boobs are so small."

The comments came at just the wrong time, forcing the angle of her serve off just enough to send it outside the serving area. Sora's head whipped around to see three older high schoolers standing at the fence jeering at her.

"Guess she wasn't picked because of her talent!" one laughed.

"Second serve."

Sora turned to face the umpire, second year Ruki Tachibana, unable to keep the incredulous look from her face. She wasn't one to question an umpire and Sora had played in noisy tournaments before, but she'd never been subjected to such vulgar comments. Tachibana sighed.

"Just get used to it Takenouchi," she said in a low voice that sounded resigned.

The boys continued to heckle and Sora gripped the tennis ball in her hand tightly. Noting the angle and seeing that no one was in her way, Sora casually tossed the ball low and slammed her racket into it with the most powerful backhand she could manage. For a moment, the boys jumped back in fear, staring at the ball that was now wedged into the fence. The girls around her gawked.

"Next time there won't be a fence to save you!"

The boys were silent for one glorious second before their comments started back up again. Sora gripped her racket until her knuckles turned white, tempted to throw it at them and see what happened. The captain jogged over to her side.

"It's not worth it, Takenouchi. Just think of it as good practice against any distractions."

Sora turned to face her senior, now angry. "How long have they been doing this?"

"Since early last year," one of the other second years piped up. "Problem is, they only harass us when none of the faculty staff are around, so we can't prove anything."

Sora looked around, realising there was no teacher present.

"Who's supposed to be supervising us?"

"Mr. Furuya, but he often has more important things to do than supervise the girls' team."

Glancing at the boys again to size them up, Sora walked over to her bag and placed the racket in it. She wasn't one to start fights (that was normally Taichi or Yamato's specialty), however Sora was _not_ going to let this kind of behaviour stand. She would talk with the captain about getting a new faculty supervisor, but for the meantime these boys had to find out who they were dealing with.

Sora stepped outside the tennis court alone. The three boys were certainly older than she was and normally Sora was one to respect her elders, but there was a limit to her goodwill.

"Who do you think you are?" Sora shouted at the three intruders.

The boys looked at each other and laughed. The tallest one swaggered up to her and was about to put his hand on her shoulder in some condescending manner when Sora grabbed it and pulled it around his back, using his momentum to shove him back into his two friends. Unable to break his fall properly, the three fell to the ground in a heap. As if scripted, the girls all began laughing at the bullies' misfortune. Sora kept her calm, standing over them with her legs standing shoulder-width apart and one hand on her hip. She allowed herself a smirk of satisfaction while the girls' laughter continued.

"You bitch!" the smallest one shouted in rage as he shot up.

Sora braced herself, slipping into a fighting stance, but the boy stayed in place. No, he was going to attack her with words rather than fists.

"No self-respecting guy would date a girl like you who beats people up and acts like a boy!"

She'd heard worse. Sora kept her face neutral, waiting for them to say any more. Meanwhile, the girls had shouted their encouragement from the courts. She continued to watch them carefully as the three stood.

"Yeah," the middle one added, emboldened by his friend's comment, "An ugly girl like you is gonna be used by a guy much prettier than you and dumped the moment he's done with you."

The other two laughed. However, Sora kept her fighting stance, slipping into something a little more defensive when they started circling around her so that she was surrounded. At first, they looked to be keeping their distance, but when one moved, Sora lost track of the other two. She managed to block the first punch and instinct made her dodge the second. A shout from one of the girls was the only warning she had, but Sora couldn't move. She braced herself for the blow.

There was a thud behind her and the two boys on either side of her slowly began to back away. Sora relaxed, glancing down to confirm the third boy on the ground, who was crawling towards his friends slowly. Sora could hear several girls swooning and immediately knew who was behind her even before he spoke.

"Sorry about that. I know you could handle them, but I figured you'd rather not explain to your mother how you got a bruise on your face playing tennis."

Knowing that her back was covered, Sora continued to stare at the three boys, who suddenly didn't look as cocky as they did a minute ago. As if reading her mind, Yamato stepped up behind her so that he was as close as he could be without touching her.

"Who…who're you?" The tallest boy stuttered.

Sora smirked, reaching behind her so that her arm wrapped around the back of Yamato's head before pulling him into her. Yamato, playing along, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin onto her shoulder, turning just enough that she could feel his breath on her neck.

"He's my boyfriend, of course."

"Want me to take care of them for you?" Yamato asked, his voice husky, but loud enough even the tennis team could hear.

Sora kept a straight face even as Yamato's breath tickled the hairs on the back of her neck. The jerk was doing that on purpose. Nevertheless, whatever expression Yamato was pulling seemed to be intimidating the three older boys.

The middle one seemed to gather some courage. "Hah! He's just using you! Why would a guy like that go out with you?"

Even as he said it, he sounded desperate. Sora felt, rather than saw, Yamato's smirk widen.

"You're right." Turning Sora to face him, Yamato's face became serious. "It's not like she's beautiful, talented and willing to stand up for what she believes in. What was I thinking dating her for over a year?"

Sora, unable to keep a straight face, found herself looking away in an attempt to hide her smile and regain her composure. However, the boys must have caught her change in expression because, almost simultaneously, their faces turned red with embarrassment. Sora pushed Yamato back with a scoff and he fell back, chuckling at her reaction good-naturedly.

"Want me to get Taichi?"

"No," she decided. "I think even idiots like these guys can take a hint."

The smallest one stepped forward in a final attempt to seem threatening. "You won't get away with this, bitch. We're telling the teachers."

"Go ahead," Sora challenged, "and when you do that, I'll tell them how you've been intimidating the girls' tennis team and threatened to beat up a member of said team. It'll be your word against ours. Why don't you save yourselves the trouble, admit you were doing something you shouldn't have been and go find a hobby that's not bullying women."

Red faced, the boys began to walk away with as much dignity as possible. Every member of the girls' tennis team strolled out from the courts and began clapping when the boys were out of earshot.

"That was amazing!"

"I can't believe they're gone!"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, ladies," the captain cut through, halting any more chatter. "They might still come back."

"I don't think you'll have to worry about them anymore," Yamato reassured them.

"Are you _really_ Sora's boyfriend?"

Sora watched Yamato's face heat up, in complete contrast to the part he had been playing only moments before. Awkwardly, he searched for her hand and Sora grabbed him and gently pulled him closer so she could rest her forehead on his shoulder.

"Yeah," he all but whispered and Sora felt her own face heating up as well.

Yamato squeezed her hand and gave her a pointed look, the one that said 'find an excuse to leave, or I'm kidnapping you.' Slightly startled, but willing to trust him, Sora let go of Yamato's hand and walked over to her captain.

"I know I was late, but would I be able to skip the rest of practice? I don't think I can play well after that."

The captain seemed to consider Sora's offer for a moment. She looked from Yamato back to Sora and gave a nod of approval.

"Since you got rid of those menaces, I think the afternoon off is the least you deserve. Make sure you're not late for practice next time."

Sora bowed deeply, thanking her captain sincerely. She ran and grabbed her bag, bidding everyone farewell (and receiving a few congratulatory pats on the back for her earlier efforts) and walked over to where Yamato was waiting. Immediately, he slipped his hand into hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze, while remaining relaxed otherwise.

They waved goodbye and got as far as the local park before Sora felt her knees give way. Yamato caught her and placed her bag down carefully, then pulled her securely into his arms.

"You were amazing, today," he reassured her softly. "You could've handled them alone, if necessary."

Sora couldn't speak. Instead, she merely nodded into his chest. She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to hold back tears.

"I feel so stupid," she finally choked out.

"Why, for putting a bunch of upperclassmen who should know better in their place?"

"If you hadn't turned up…"

Yamato hugged her tightly. "You would have handled it the way you've always done."

Brushing stray tears from her eyes, Sora looked up at Yamato with a watery smile. "Thanks for playing along."

"Was my sexy boyfriend act convincing?" he asked, grinning at her.

Sora shoved him back, laughing. "You're such a dork."

"Fortunately, only a few, trustworthy souls know my secret," Yamato replied dramatically.

Sora briefly glanced around to check they were the only ones in this clearing. Self-consciously, Sora stood up on tiptoes and kissed Yamato on the lips. She pulled back too soon, blushing furiously, but not wanting to be caught by any innocent passers-by.

Risking a glance up at Yamato, she noticed his cheeks were becoming progressively pinker.

"Mind if I come over to your house for a bit?" Yamato managed to choke out.

Sora felt like her smile couldn't widen any further. "I don't think my mother would mind."

"Good," he replied softly.

Sora took his hand into hers and the events of this afternoon slowly caught up with her. The fear she had felt standing up to those three and their horrible words was being replaced with the realisation of how much she had put them in her place.

"They're not going to bother us again, are they?"

"After that? They'd be stupid to try anything," Yamato agreed. "But if they do, give me a call. Taichi and I can help you solidify the message."

Sora briefly squeezed his hand tighter. "Thanks."

"You seem to have made a good first impression on your captain."

She laughed. "Hopefully, she won't hold it against me that I've skipped the first practice."

"Are you feeling better?"

Sora sometimes wondered how Yamato knew when she was at her limit, sometimes before she did. She questioned whether the captain had seen that Yamato had been desperate to get Sora somewhere quiet. Part of her hoped no one had noticed her hands shaking afterwards.

"I'll feel even better after a relaxing evening and a good night's rest."

"I hate to destroy your fantasy, but we've got Maths homework due for tomorrow."

"Yamato!"

"We can invite Taichi around and work on it together."

Sora glared. "I thought we were going to do something romantic tonight."

"Maths is the language of the Universe, what's more romantic than that?" Yamato replied innocently.

Sora pulled him close, wrapping her arms around his neck, her forehead touching his. "You're hopeless."

* * *

 **A big thank you to those who have been leaving reviews so far. I will try to get back to your messages sometime next week at the latest. Hopefully tomorrow's prompt will be up in good time, but unfortunately I can't make any promises.**


	5. Just Another Day

**Thank you very much for your encouraging reviews, especially for last chapter. I'll reply to you individually (plus any outstanding messages) when I've got some time.**

 **August 15th: Fluff**

 **Summary:** Their weekends away helping other Chosen Children are becoming routine.

 **Rating:** K

 **Words:** 1000 _approx._

* * *

 **Just Another Day**

Sora turned down the next street, her digivice held out in front of her. She sighed, wishing there was a way they could amplify the signal in their world.

"Sora!"

She looked up just as Piyomon flew to the ground in front of her. Her partner seemed to be in a surprisingly good mood considering they had been searching all day for a missing child. Sora grabbed the chance to retrieve the bottle of water from her backpack and took a swig.

"Sora, I think I found her."

Sora handed the drink to Piyomon with a smile. "Where?"

The two moved in the direction Piyomon said she had spotted the young child. Sure enough, when they approached the spot Piyomon mentioned, Sora's digivice began to react. Following the signal, she and Piyomon walked into a clearing where a young girl was sitting, curled in on herself. There was a digimon in her arms.

Sora exchanged her phone for the water bottle so that Piyomon could call Yamato. She crouched down behind the young girl, who couldn't have been older than six or seven.

"Excuse me, but are you Yuka?"

The girl, having not heard Sora's approach, whirled around and tightly held her partner to her chest.

"Don't take her away!"

Sora looked at the girl who had tears in her eyes. Her expression softened.

"We're not here to take her away. We just wanted to talk to you."

"We?"

As if on cue, Yamato walked in behind her with Gabumon and Piyomon. He looked out of breath, but also relieved. Of course, Yuka's attention was focused primarily on the two digimon.

"You have partners too."

Yamato stayed where he was, but the two digimon stepped forward. Loosening the tight grip on her digimon, Yuka used her free hand to touch Gabumon's fur. As he let her pet him, a smile bloomed on her face.

"I didn't know there were others."

"There are kids like you all over the World," Sora explained.

Yuka took her hand back and wrapped it around her digimon, her smile fading. "Mum said that I can't keep her cause she's dangerous."

"Your mother is right that they can be," said Yamato. "However, if you take care of your partner properly, she won't hurt anyone unless you're in danger."

"That's why we're here," Sora said as she stood. "We'll tell your mother about digimon so she won't fear your friend as much."

"She was very worried when she found you were missing," Piyomon added. "She obviously wants the best for you."

Yuka looked between the four of them and nodded, holding out her hand for Sora to take. The group slowly walked back to Yuka's house. Gabumon and Piyomon said their goodbyes (Yuka gave them both a big hug as thanks) and waited somewhere safe while the three humans carried on with Yuka's partner.

"Yuka!"

A woman, who had been standing with a police officer, came running over and crouched down to pull the little girl into her arms. Tears fell down her cheeks as she said over and over how worried she was.

"Are you two the ones who found her?"

Yamato and Sora turned towards the police officer and nodded.

"We were just passing through when we heard her. Yuka was hiding in the nearby park, so it's hardly a surprise no one had found her."

The police officer nodded, seemingly satisfied. He had words with the mother before taking his leave.

"Thank you for finding my daughter."

"It wasn't a problem, but if you don't mind we would like to talk to you about something important…"

* * *

The night bus was becoming a regular place for Yamato and Sora to catch up on their sleep. While their partners lay across them, Sora had pushed up the armrest separating them so that she could lean her head against Yamato's shoulder. Yamato took her hand in his.

"That could have been worse."

The conversations with concerned parents were never easy, especially not when their only experience of digimon were the ones destroying Tokyo or some other important place. Yuka's mother had been more accepting when Sora had given her contact details as well as Koushiro's. She had also promised to inform her of any other new Chosen in the area.

Too tired to speak, Sora just nodded into his shoulder. Yamato let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

"I think we need a break next weekend. I'm not sure how I'm going to get through this school week."

Sora laid her arm across his chest, hoping everyone else on the bus was too busy trying to sleep to be bothered by their intimacy. She opened her eyes and looked up at him with a tired smile.

"I think Daisuke and Takeru said they were keen to go sometime."

Yamato chuckled. "How long do you think it would take them to get into an argument?"

Sora raised an eyebrow. "They certainly get along better than you and Taichi did at the start."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Point taken."

"They'd probably enjoy it more than fighting digimon."

"Hmm, I think Taichi wanted to get a few of the newer Chosen more involved. After all, we can't travel across Japan every time there's an incident."

Sora looked away and began absently drawing circles on his chest.

"We'd still have to monitor them to start, but I suppose the hard work initially would make things easier in the long run," Sora agreed.

"Mimi's coming back soon. She'll be good at winning people over and it will be easier if the three of us could rotate."

Sora merely nodded. There were plenty of reasons she was looking forward to Mimi's return.

As the lights on the bus dimmed further, Sora found herself drifting into sleep. They had school tomorrow, but despite their hectic lives, Sora was glad that she and Yamato could still spend a quiet (if not so private) moment together.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Sigh, this prompt gave me the opposite problem to "Alternative Universe" in that when someone tells me to write fluff (or angst or smut, etc.) I somehow can't think of anything. Give me a generic topic or a random word rather than a fic type any day. Hopefully this was a little fluffy at least as everything else I tried to come up with made them seem really OOC to me. Apologies for any errors. This was written quite late, so I've only had a couple of sleep-deprived read-throughs.**

 **Please review!**


	6. A Future Worth Striving For

**August 16th:** Promises + Future

 **Summary:** While on holiday, Yamato receives an unexpected email.

 **Pairing:** Sorato

 **Rating:** K

 **Words:** 1200 approx.

 **Author's Note: I tend to write everything in the Japanese version's universe because I know that's what most fans are familiar with (and it's what I prefer). However, this idea has been stuck in my head ever since I watched the US dub finale of Digimon Adventure 02. Despite the basis of the story being in the US dub, I've continued to use the Japanese names because I am still writing based on their personalities. Further explanations are at the bottom of the page to avoid spoilers.**

* * *

 **A Future Worth Striving For**

Yamato stared at the email, rereading lines again and again to try and make sense what was in front of him until the words blurred together. He gripped his phone tightly in an attempt to figure out a plan, but his brain was already panicking, going around in circles through the same arguments.

"Yamato?"

Yamato jumped, startled, and almost dropped his phone in the process. Sora was standing in the entrance of their holiday apartment already in her swimsuit with a light sundress over it. The hat she wore came from one of her designer friends. Framed in the late morning sun, she looked beautiful. Yamato felt sick.

Her expression turned into one of annoyance when she saw the device in his hand.

"I thought we'd agreed not to do anything work related for the whole of the vacation, or was that just a rule for me?"

"No," Yamato stammered. "Sorry…I…"

He felt more than heard Sora's light footsteps as she approached him. She crouched in front of him so that her face was in his line of sight, resting a hand on his knee and rubbing circles in a way that felt reassuring.

"You know I was only teasing. What's wrong?"

Yamato's mouth opened and closed a few times, but he couldn't find the words. "It's about the Moon mission."

Sora frowned, worry suddenly filling her eyes. "Did something happen? Is someone hurt?"

One of Yamato's colleagues who was planning to join him on the latest Moon mission had gone to the International Space Station for some time to cover for another co-worker who had suddenly been unfit to travel. Sora knew better than most people how dangerous Yamato's job could get.

"No, everyone's fine."

Unable to explain, he held out his phone to Sora for her to read. She sat back on her heels, scrolling through the text. As she got further down the message, her eyes widened even more. A huge grin split across her face.

"This is fantastic! They want you to lead a mission to Mars and have Gabumon with you?"

"Yeah. We would need extra training but because of all the work we've done for the Moon mission already, it would be easier to train me and Gabumon than someone else."

"Don't sell yourself short. They want you because they think you'd be the best. And if it's a success you wouldn't have to worry about your career."

Sora must have quickly noticed that Yamato was obviously not as excited as her, because she sat next to him and took his hands in hers.

"What's wrong?"

Yamato sighed, his shoulders sagging. "A mission to the Moon is maybe a few weeks, but to get to Mars it's at least nine months and that's if we are able to go at the time when Earth and Mars' orbits are closest. And that's just a one way trip. I'm sure the plan is to set up a digital gate and return through it, but if something goes wrong we'll have to wait for supplies to help us home, which could take months or years…"

Yamato stopped talking when he felt Sora squeeze his hands sharply. He looked up, meeting her eyes, and felt his breath slowing again.

"You're overthinking it, as usual." Sora freed one of her hands to brush a strand of hair behind his ear. "Why don't you accept their offer and see what the plan is? You can always pull out if there's something you don't like. You want to go, right?"

Of course he wanted to go. Being the first to step onto a new world was a scientist's dream. Probes and satellite images were useful, but being there in person could mean a discovery that could change their understanding of the Universe. However, there was something on his mind since Yamato had first read that email.

"We'd have to delay any plans for a family," Yamato said so softly, at first he thought Sora hadn't heard him.

"We agreed we'd put a family on hold to establish our careers, so we were in a better position to take time off. We're still young and, before you say it, to me the marriage is just a formality. We've been together for years and sometimes away from each other for longer than nine months. I don't need a piece of paper to tell me that we love each other. Besides, you'll have to take a few years off to let your body recover completely. You can look after the kids then."

"You won't be able to visit me on my way to Mars."

Sora laughed softly. "Maybe I can schedule a fashion show in space. That would be a good publicity stunt."

Yamato looked over at Sora and felt his breath catch. There were plenty of times he had declared his love for her, and each time he thought that his love for her was the strongest it had been and the strongest it would get. And yet, every time Sora subsequently managed to prove him wrong. He brought his hand up to cup her face and their foreheads touched so Yamato could feel each breath she let out.

"You're incredible."

He could just see her smile spreading wide across her face. Giggling, Sora pulled away so that they could properly see each other's faces.

"I try." She kissed him. "You should email them back before you get cold feet again."

"You're sure it's ok?"

"My boyfriend is going to be one of the first humans to step onto Mars. I think that's worth waiting a little longer for. Plus, there's plenty I want to do to expand my brand in the meantime. Maybe I should launch a space theme while you're away."

Yamato laughed. "There's still a long way to go before I even leave. Anything could go wrong in the meantime. But, yeah, it is exciting."

Sora stood up, her enthusiasm still evident. "Reply to the email and then put your phone away. We can spend the rest of the day celebrating on the beach."

Yamato picked up his phone, but rather than start typing, he stood up and faced Sora.

"Thank you."

Sora rolled her eyes with a laugh. "You encouraged me to keep going when things weren't working out during my early designing days. The least I can do is make sure you don't pass on the opportunity of a lifetime."

Yamato wrapped his arms around her waist and Sora rested her arms across his shoulders. He bent down and kissed her, the reality catching up to him that their days together would be numbered until this mission was over. Sora, seeming to sense the same thing, tightened her grip around his neck.

After a minute or so, Sora pulled away, a slight frown on her face. "Are you putting off replying?"

"No, no I'm not," Yamato laughed, trying to reassure her. "Here, I'll email them right now."

Sora stood over him, watching him like a hawk until he finished. He even showed her the sent message to prove he had replied. Seemingly satisfied, Sora walked towards the door. Yamato placed his phone in the safe and followed her outside. He couldn't tell whether this felt like the end or the beginning of something, so Yamato took this moment, following his girlfriend onto the white sandy beach. Worrying about the future could wait another day.

* * *

 **In the US dub, TK talks about Matt and Gabumon making it to Mars even though they were only supposed to go to the Moon. Because I'm a science nerd, this bothered me as a kid because there's a huge difference in a Mars vs Moon mission. The above is my way of explaining the events leading to TK's statement (plus why Yamato and Sora's kids are among the youngest).**

 **Please review!**


	7. Christmas Eve Confessions

**August 17th: Freebie Day**

 **Summary:** Christmas Eve is the day when people confess their feelings. Sora just wishes she had the courage to follow through. AU

 **Rating:** T

 **Words:** 3500+

 **The final day of DigiOTPWeek and I've gone and written something completely different in theme to everything before it (look, the rating is higher and everything). I did somehow manage (completely by accident) to include all the previous themes in this piece, so I guess that's some sort of achievement. I considered a warning, but that would spoil the story and I'd like to think it's not something that would cause offence. Further notes and thanks are at the bottom to avoid spoilers.  
**

* * *

 **Christmas Eve Confessions**

Sora had taken a bag with her to the middle school Christmas Eve concert. She hadn't wanted anyone to see the gift inside, especially not her friends. She still wasn't sure what their reaction would be when they found out. Then again, she wasn't sure how Yamato would react. She had been rehearsing this for weeks, but now that the day had arrived, Sora found herself unable to go any further.

"Aren't you going to go inside, Sora?"

Sora clutched her bag and looked down at Piyomon. What was she thinking? It was impossible that Yamato felt the same way! While it was true they had been spending more time together and got along really well, how was that any different from her relationship with Taichi? What if she ruined what they had by confessing her feelings?

People stood around the back entrance, some helping to bring in equipment. Fans of the more popular bands stood outside with gifts, hoping to talk with them before the concert started. Piyomon's eyes followed her with concern as Sora shied away. There were too many people; too many witnesses for her to be able to handle any type of rejection.

"Don't worry, Piyomon. We'll just see each other after the concert."

Sora tried to convince herself that she would confess afterward, but she couldn't lie to herself. Gift in hand, Sora fled in shame.

* * *

"Hey, Sora!"

Sora was startled out of her thoughts by Taichi, who was now waving manically to get her attention. Agumon copying his movements. Beside him, Koushiro held Tentomon in his arms looking somewhat nervous. Jou stood behind them both with a bag across his shoulder and Gomamon's head sticking out of it. He gave her a friendly wave when he caught her eye and Sora awkwardly waved back. Clutching her bag tightly, Sora ran towards them.

"Where were you?" Taichi asked when she stopped in front of him.

"Sora was…"

Sora immediately put a hand on Piyomon's head to stop her saying anything else. She grinned too widely and laughed.

"I just thought I'd try to see what other bands were playing tonight," she said too loudly, trying to come up with a good excuse.

"But it says who the bands are on the ticket…" Jou trailed off, confused, as he turned over the ticket as if to check the names were actually there.

Sora silently cursed her luck, her brain scrambling to think of a better excuse to dig herself out of this slowly deepening hole. Her smile grew wider until her lips ached.

"It doesn't matter," Taichi said dismissively. "Let's just get inside and find some seats."

Sora was glad that Taichi didn't press her for an explanation, or worse, make fun of her. The weight of her bag felt like a burden as she sat down, keeping a space between her and Taichi for Gabumon. Although she attempted to ignore it, Sora couldn't help but notice Piyomon's concerned glances directed at her as they waited for the event to start.

* * *

The lights dimmed as the Teen-Age Wolves took to the stage. Yamato's three bandmates were already standing ready, instruments in front of them. There was a low amount of chatter as the audience waited for the next act to start. The lights dimmed and a spotlight drew Sora's eyes to the side of the stage. Her jaw dropped at the sight.

Platform sandals clomped against the wooden stage as Yamato made her way towards the central microphone. Sora's eyes followed bare legs up to a dark skirt that barely reached past her mid-thigh. Yamato's top was a white dress shirt that dipped low enough that it was almost possible to see her cleavage with the sleeves rolled up just above her elbow, while her bass hung from her shoulders.

Whoops and wolf-whistles followed her as she sauntered over to the microphone like a professional and grabbed a stray wire to plug into her bass. There were a few noises from the sound system and Yamato softly plucked out a chord.

"Don't worry, it's not just for show," she teased with a coy smile.

Sora had never seen Yamato in anything vaguely feminine before (she wore the boy's uniform because she said she was more comfortable in it and none of the teachers seemed to mind). Black eyeliner framed her eyes, making her blue irises stand out even more than usual and her lipstick was a dark red. Yamato's hair, normally pulled back into ponytail at the base of her neck, loosely framed her face, strands falling past her shoulders.

"When did Yamato get that hot?"

Taichi's comment took the words right from Sora's mouth and brought her crashing to reality. She looked around at all the guys cheering and whistling, suddenly much more energised than before. She squeezed Piyomon a little tighter. How could she stand a chance when Yamato could have her pick of any guy she wanted?

Yamato turned her head enough to nod to her bandmates before striking up the first song with a bass solo. Her eyes roamed around the audience and Sora felt her breath catch as their eyes met.

 _"One, two, three. Go!"_

The rest of the band took their cue and the first song started in earnest. Sora found herself relaxing as she listened to Yamato's voice and smiled when she realised everyone around them was enjoying the Teen-Age Wolves' performance as well.

However, the good feelings didn't last long when Sora began to hear a strange sound coming from the speakers. Yamato had clearly noticed it as well and glanced around, puzzled. Sora barely heard the incessant screeching of her digivice before a great roar echoed through the sound system and DarkTyranomon appeared, followed by a host of Bakemon.

Sora and the other Chosen Children stood ready to fight, but with their digimon unable to evolve, they were forced to flee outside. With the arrival of Daisuke and the others, the real battle started as the digimon from both generations banded together.

As the fighting continued, Sora wandered from the group, directing any stragglers and too curious onlookers away from the battle. There was a bang from above and Sora froze as debris from the nearby building came crashing down around her. Unable to move, Sora put her arms over her head for protection. However, rather than being hit by falling rocks, Sora felt warm arms wrap themselves around her.

Sora rested her head against her protector's chest and glanced up at Yamato's concerned face. A blush slowly spread across her cheeks and Sora attempted to put some distance between them without seeming obvious. She looked at Yamato, who was still in her stage gear. Sora tried to think of something interesting to say.

"Aren't you cold?"

Sora smiled to avoid cringing at her ridiculous words while Yamato laughed. It was difficult to tell under the dim light, but it looked as if a pink blush had settled on Yamato's cheeks.

"I suppose this wasn't the most practical outfit to wear to a fight." There was another bang and Yamato's head whipped around to see what had happened. "That'll teach me not to give into my bandmates for a bit of publicity."

The two made their way over to the rest of the team just in time for the final push. Once the dust had settled, the Chosen Children and their digimon reunited in a group. Taichi stood proudly surveying their team.

"After all that excitement, I guess it's time to go home."

Everyone nodded in agreement. It was late and Ken had a long way to travel home. They had just started to walk away from the site when Yamato stopped.

"Sorry, I left my stuff in the concert hall. You guys go on ahead."

Sora stared after Yamato as she ran, her blond hair catching the wind and sending thin strands in all directions. She clutched a hand to her chest, her heart aching.

"So… Yamato, huh?"

Sora jumped and stiffened at the same time, causing her to nearly fall over. She felt the colour drain from her face as Taichi continued to stare after Yamato. He spared Sora a glance.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about," she stammered, clearly giving herself away.

"That's where you were before the show, right? It's Christmas Eve and you wanted to confess to Yamato. I was wondering why you'd brought such a big bag."

Sora glanced around, noting their friends were already moving towards the nearest convenient station. Sora wasn't sure whether it was a curse or a blessing that Taichi had managed to corner her. Even Agumon and Piyomon were keeping their distance, the traitors. For one horrifying moment, Taichi stared at her silently, his face completely serious. Sora found her eyes being drawn to the ground in shame.

"How long have you known?"

Taichi sighed and ran a hand through his messy hair as if attempting to comb it back. Sora was almost convinced he wasn't going to give her an answer.

"I just figured it out this evening, but looking back I guess it was kind of obvious."

Sora pressed her mouth into a thin line. What was that supposed to mean? However, rather than voicing her question, she remained silent.

"Aren't you going to go after her?"

"What about you?" Sora countered, keeping her expression neutral while she looked up at him.

"Me?" Taichi spluttered incredulously. "You want _me_ to get her for you?"

Sora felt her face heat up. Was he trying to act dense on purpose?

"You like her, don't you? You have a better chance with her than I ever will, so at least then she'd be happy!"

Taichi just blinked at the end of Sora's outburst as if she had just spoken another language. Tears pricked at her eyes as her frustration grew. This whole thing was humiliating enough without Taichi rubbing his masculinity in her face. Of _course_ Yamato would be more interested in a guy like him! Sora couldn't stand it anymore.

"You know what, Taichi, forget it! I'm going home!"

"Sora, wait!"

Taichi grabbed her arm and Sora spun around and pulled back her fist threateningly. Taichi immediately let go and put a little distance between them.

"Sorry. Sora I know you're upset, but please calm down and listen," he tried to explain, his hands held up in surrender. "I'm a little confused as to where this conversation went, but I think you implied I want to ask Yamato out and I can tell you with complete certainty that is never going to happen. Because as cool and awesome as Yamato is, I don't like her in that way."

Sora stared ahead, not focusing on anything in particular, and tried to comprehend what Taichi had just said. The anger was slowly draining from her and now she was just confused.

"But you said Yamato was hot," she feebly protested.

"At the concert? Sora, I'm not blind! Besides, I think you're hot too. It doesn't mean I want to date you… or Yamato," he quickly added. "That would be too weird."

Sora finally found the courage to look Taichi in the eye. He was watching her with a mixture of sadness and exasperation.

"Yamato likes you too, Sora."

For a moment, Sora felt her heart swell in her chest. The idea of Yamato liking her in that way felt too good to be true.

"Did she say something to you?"

Taichi shrugged and Sora's heart sank. Taichi noticed her dampened mood and sighed.

"It's Yamato, of course she hasn't said anything to me. But," he added before she could react, "I've seen the way she looks at you. Just trust me and tell her how you feel. You'll regret it if you don't."

"Sora, let's go."

Piyomon grabbed hold of her hand and smiled up in encouragement. She looked back to her best friend.

"Thank you, Taichi."

"Don't mention it," he said with a shrug. "Just let me know how it goes, OK? If Yamato says anything stupid, I'll be there."

Sora laughed and pulled Taichi into a hug. "Thanks for being such a good friend."

Taichi returned the hug, squeezing her back tightly before pulling away. "Well, I _am_ the bearer of Courage. It's kind of what I do. Good luck."

Before she could second-guess herself any longer, Sora ran towards the concert hall with Piyomon flying behind.

* * *

The hall had been badly destroyed, with some of the scaffolding around the stage now lying haphazardly on the seats and hanging precariously from the ceiling. The lights had gone out when DarkTyranomon managed to cut through the power supply, leaving only the eerie glow of the emergency lighting.

Sora slowly manoeuvred her way through the chairs, some of which had been turned over or thrown aside in panic. It took some time, but Sora finally found where they had been sitting. More importantly, her bag was still there with the present seemingly intact.

A sudden crash drew Sora's attention to the main stage, where she could barely make out Yamato's figure moving around. Taking a deep breath for courage and remembering Taichi's words, she slowly walked towards the front of the concert hall.

"I can't believe those guys didn't come back!" Sora heard Yamato yell in frustration.

"They are probably too scared to, since they don't know the digimon are gone. Besides, the building could still collapse at any time," Gabumon warned.

As Sora approached, she noticed that Yamato had changed from her skirt and impractical shoes into black jeans and dark hiking boots. Gabumon was sitting on the edge of the stage watching Yamato as she put various instruments and equipment into their cases.

"Which is why we need to do this quickly. I don't want them to lose all this expensive equipment. The night's been enough of a disaster as it is."

"It hasn't been a disaster. I thought your singing was really good and I'm sure the rest of the audience liked it too. I doubt anyone will forget it."

Sora stayed in the shadows to watch and ignored Piyomon's inquisitive expression. Having packed up the drums and keyboard, Yamato moved to grab her bandmate's guitar. She unplugged it with possibly a little more force than was necessary and placed it in its case, locking it with a satisfying click.

"I have a feeling people won't remember our music though. I guess I just wanted tonight to be better than it turned out," Yamato admitted with a sigh. "Everyone came along to support us, but we couldn't give our best in return."

"I thought you guys were amazing," Sora interrupted, stepping towards the stage.

Gabumon's smile brightened. "Piyomon!"

Piyomon hopped up onto the stage next to Gabumon, leaving Yamato and Sora to stare at each other. Sora shifted nervously.

"I left my bag here," she said, responding to the unspoken question. "Did you need some help?"

Yamato ran a hand through her hair to get the smaller strands out of her eyes. She sighed in frustration when it fell back into place.

"Yeah, it would be helpful if you could start taking this stuff outside. No point putting it all away just for everything to get crushed."

They both looked up at the precariously swaying scaffolding. Sora frowned with worry. Between her and the digimon, they were able to take the drum kit outside in one trip. By the time the three returned, Yamato was checking her bass for scratches. Seemingly satisfied, she placed it into its case.

Sora nearly missed the exchange as Piyomon and Gabumon nodded to each other.

"We can take the keyboard," Gabumon volunteered.

Yamato watched nervously as the two slowly carried the keyboard through the debris towards the exit. It was only when they were almost outside that Sora realised their plan. She clutched her bag tightly; it was now or never. She turned to see that Yamato was wrapping up the rest of the wires and stuffing them into her case.

"I meant what I said earlier. You were really good today," Sora began. "You looked nice too."

"Thanks, Sora. That means a lot to me."

Yamato jumped down from the stage with a smile. Even in flat shoes, she was still quite a few centimetres taller than Sora. Her makeup still looked amazing despite all the work she had been doing. Sora felt the words of her carefully constructed confession scatter into the darkest corners of her mind. Her mouth opened and closed a few times, but no sound came out.

Taking a deep breath, Sora shoved her bag forward into Yamato's face. Yamato stepped back and blinked in surprise. However, she quickly recovered and took the bag.

"What's this for?"

"Look inside," Sora explained, unable to look at Yamato's face any longer. "It's for you."

Out of the corner of her eye, Sora watched Yamato slowly lower her now mostly-empty bag. Sora barely heard the sound of paper being ripped away over the roar in her ears. However, she did hear Yamato's surprised gasp. Her brain began to work in overdrive, attempting to think of an excuse to leave.

"S…Sorry, I…"

"Are these homemade?"

Yamato's voice sounded flat and Sora still couldn't find the courage to look at her face. Instead, she just nodded, resigned to hearing those inevitable words: "I only think of you as a friend."

"Thank you."

The whisper was so quiet, Sora thought she imagined it. However, when she finally looked up, she saw Yamato fondly staring at the box, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Yamato carefully placed the box on her guitar case and walked towards Sora.

"Thank you."

Still speechless, Sora closed the distance and wrapped her arms around Yamato's neck, stopping when their noses barely touched. Yamato responded by wrapping her arms around Sora's waist and tilting her head just enough for their lips to meet.

Sora had planned this moment for so long, but nothing had gone the way she had planned. Even their kiss, which was supposed to be romantic like in the movies, became messy with passion as her tongue found its way into Yamato's mouth. Her lips were soon coated in saliva. They finished the kiss with a chaste peck on the lips.

Slowly, the girls pulled away, although kept their distance close. Sora wiped her lips discreetly with the back of her hand, but Yamato couldn't tidy herself up as easily. Her makeup was smeared around her face, dark smudges around her eyes and trails down her cheeks. Yamato tried to wipe away her tears, but only succeeded on smearing her eyeliner further.

"Sorry, I must look a mess," she choked out.

Sora picked up her bag and retrieved a packet of tissues. Without thinking much about it, she placed a hand under Yamato's chin to steady her head and wetted the tissue so she could carefully wipe away the excess makeup. Yamato closed her eyes and kept as still as possible while Sora worked.

"That's better."

Yamato tenderly grabbed her hand and seemed to make a move to kiss her again. However, both jumped when there was a loud crash to the side. Yamato and Sora turned to see part of the scaffolding had fallen and another part looked dangerously close to following it. Sora blushed, embarrassed she'd forgotten about the nearby danger.

"Maybe we should continue this outside," Yamato suggested with a nervous laugh.

The two grabbed the rest of the equipment and Sora put the cookies back in her bag so they could carry it easier. As the two stepped outside, there was another crash as the second piece of scaffolding fell.

"Are you all right?" Piyomon asked, checking them both for injuries.

"We're fine," Sora replied, sneaking a glance towards Yamato as she did.

"Yamato!"

The two girls turned towards the new voice, while Piyomon and Gabumon sat down in an attempt to look like plush dolls. One of Mr Ishida's work colleagues, who had been in charge of filming the show, came running up to them.

"Thank goodness you're OK!"

He looked down at the instruments and equipment and then back to Yamato.

"Don't tell me you went in there to get all this stuff. That place is structurally unsound!"

Yamato shrugged, although she had the foresight to look a little sheepish. "I didn't want our instruments to get ruined."

The director sighed, "Instruments can be replaced. You can't. Next time, don't do something so stupid. Honestly, between you and your father I always pegged you as the sensible one!"

Sora thought back to their fight with the digimon and shared a look with Yamato. She was obviously thinking along similar lines. Compared to that, recuing some equipment was easy. For one, it didn't try to fight back.

Yamato looked over the director's shoulder. "Is that your van?"

He sighed, "It belongs to the TV station. I take it you want to put your equipment in there?"

"I'll need the guys to help me carry everything and I can't just leave it outside. You could always just transfer it to Dad's van," she suggested sweetly.

The director sighed dramatically. "Fine. Help me load it up and then get home. I'm sure it's way past your bedtime."

* * *

They stopped outside Sora's apartment and she handed Yamato back the cookies. The two stood, silently staring at each other.

"Thank you for inviting me to the concert. It was a lot of fun, even though you were interrupted."

Yamato chuckled, "It's been a bit surreal, hasn't it?"

Sora closed the distance and placed a kiss on her now girlfriend's cheek.

"Merry Christmas."

Yamato blushed and wished her Merry Christmas as well. Sora turned and entered her apartment block, her chest feeling warm. She felt so happy that it was if her feet were barely touching the ground. When she reached her apartment door, Sora noticed her D-Terminal had two new messages:

 _How'd it go? –Taichi_

 _Goodnight. Love Yamato_

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Thoughts? Hopefully, the confession scene wasn't too awkward. I wanted to show their passion without them being too smooth, after all it's Yamato and Sora and I doubt either has been in a romantic relationship before this.**

 **Basically, I've had this AU idea for a while where everything from the Digimon Adventure series is the same, except Yamato is a girl. This was for a few reasons: 1) because it would even up the gender ratios, 2) put a female character on nearly even ground with the protagonist, 3) gives me a lesbian pairing I can get behind and 4) Hiroaki having to raise a teenage daughter (I can think of more, but I imagine others would find them less interesting). Admittedly, I'm not quite sure how people will react, so if you like it I'd love it if you would take the time to leave a review.**

 **Speaking of reviews, I've unfortunately been unable to respond to some of you because I don't have an email address or other method of contact. Thank you very much to Sorato Lover, Sandy and LF (Yay fellow science nerd! But yes, considering Yamato and Sora's fathers were both workaholics I can't imagine they'd want to put their kids through a similar experience). Your comments were all really encouraging and I wish I had a better way of thanking you.**

 **This concludes my writing for DigiOTPWeek... well, almost. I will be filling in the AU gap I failed to complete on time. Currently, I'm debating on whether I should put in the effort of making it a larger story or just posting a set of scenes. Either way I will post the story as the last chapter, or if it turns into something bigger, I will just post a scene from the story as a preview. Thank you for understanding.**


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